Kanoto-iwa Rock
- NatureAndAgriculture
- 120 min. on foot, by train and bus from JR Tachikawa Station
Rock door leading into the sacred area
Kanoto-iwa Rock is located in Akaizawa, upstream of the Kanoto-gawa River.
Faults dating back 250 million years can be seen in the exposed rock walls, creating a mysterious landscape.
The origin of the name “Kanoto-iwa” dates back to the “Fudoki” (Records of the culture and geography of a province). It is said that the name “Kanoto-iwa” was derived from the sight of large, steep rocks on both banks, which looked like a half-opened door, and that was called “Kanoto-iwa,” meaning “God’s door rock,” because it resembled a gate leading into the land of the gods.
At the end of a rocky path carved into a massive 100m high wall is a small but dignified-looking waterfall.
There, as if time has stopped, a fantastic sight still unfolds, unchanged from when ancient people saw it.
- Address: 8020 Kanoto, Hinohara-mura, Nishi-tama-gun, Tokyo
- Tel: 042-598-0069 (General Incorporated Association Hinohara-mura Village Tourism Association)
- URL: https://hinohara-kankou.jp/spot/kanotoiwa/